Nobody wants to think that a house fire will happen, alongside the devastation caused to your possession, there is the real possibility of lives being lost. It’s not something that you want to happen but it is something that you can prepare for.
The easiest way to prepare is to know what the biggest cause of house fires is, and how you can reduce the risk.
It is also worth looking at the primary issues caused by fire, the main one being smoke inhalation. There are various steps you can take to reduce the risk of inhalation issues, such as investing in these impressive fire windows.
Cooking related
You may have thought that bad electrics or even cigarettes are the premier cause of house fires. But, the truth is that while these things are dangerous, cooking is the bigger risk. Stop cooking and you’ll approximately half the likelihood of a fire in your home!
Of course, that’s not a practical solution for most people. Part of the reason that cooking causes so many fires is that it’s done all the time. This means there is a high chance of something going wrong and, more importantly, it increases the issue of complacency.
Complacency is simply getting into the habit of leaving the kitchen to do something else. It can seem harmless but open flames, the heat of the stove, and an array of nearby combustible materials mean that a fire can easily start when you’re not paying attention.
As the results can be devastating it’s a good idea to avoid leaving the kitchen when preparing food.
Christmas Trees
It is also worth noting that the second-highest fire hazard is Christmas Trees. This isn’t because you’re bringing dry wood into the house. In fact, many Christmas trees are still damp which should reduce the risk of a fire.
However, the branches dry out exceptionally quickly and can catch fire when left unattended thanks to the heat of the lights on your tree.
This is why it’s essential never to leave the Christmas tree lights on when you go out, a fire can start quickly and you’ll have no chance of stopping it.
To help reduce the risk it’s a good idea to cut an inch off the bottom of your tree, effectively removing any dead wood. You can then plant it in something that allows you to keep it watered that will prevent the leaves drying out and reduce the risk of a fire.
Don’t forget children can inadvertently cause either of the above issues or even start a fire by accident themselves. You should educate your children as soon as possible regarding the danger of fires. You can also monitor them to ensure they aren’t playing with fire.
Of course, there are many other items in your home that can cause a fire, faulty electrics is another significant one. For this reason, it’s a good idea to perform regular maintenance on your electrics and other critical systems.
You can’t prevent a fire from happening but you can reduce the risk, which will prevent the devastation and emotional turmoil that follows a fire.